Exceeded Expectations
by IHaveNoSoul13
Summary: (Flatmates AU, m/f, slight Cassie x Stampy if you squint, one-shot. Full description in the story as it won't fit in here - it's too long. Sorry for the inconvenience. Rated T for swearing.)


_(Flatmates AU, m/f, slight Cassie x Stampy if you squint, one-shot) She had found her lodger on the sofa, in his cat hoodie and comfy trousers, not wearing a T-shirt so the soft material of the hoodie blessed his skin, watching the TV, tears in his eyes as some stupid programme blared. "What the... Why are you crying, this show isn't sad?" Stampy had turned to her, and, when he heard those words, he became determined to prove her wrong._

 _Shippings: Stampy x Cassie, if you squint, mentions of Stampy x Dan._

 _Warnings: Swearing_

* * *

He was watching his favourite show on Netflix, since he was quite behind in the series, and he had a bowl of crisps - they were Cassie's, yes, but she was working, and what she didn't know yet wouldn't get him killed yet - on his lap. They were his favourite flavour - prawn cocktail - so how could he resist, and he'd already found the perfect hiding spot for when Cassie found out.

The show had finished recently, and had nine seasons - which was suitable since the show was called Nine Tales. Each season focused on one of the characters - season one focused on Rosie, season two on Ed, season three (the one he was currently on) on Lucas, season four was June's, season five focused on Tiffany, season six was Leo's, season seven focused on Talli, season eight was Pamela's and season nine was Daniel/Ellie. Dan was trans but trying to hide it from transphobic Pamela, that'd been established in season two, episode nine - Scratched Curtains.

The show was about nine friends, Rosie, Ed, Lucas, June, Tiffany, Leo, Talli, Pamela and Dan - since Dan hadn't confessed to anyone aside from Ed (hopefully yet), Stampy and the rest of the show's fans (he was friends with a lot of them on Skype) had agreed to call Daniel Dan for the time being) - who lived in flats, paired up.

They all had cats, and the cats were actually a big part of it, and that had perked Stampy's interest.

He was on the third season's third episode, and it was Lucas' birthday - this episode was called Nine Lives, Don't Waste Them. He was enjoying the show, though was worried for June since she didn't seem too well, and this episode was his favourite so far.

He had started season two this morning, as soon as Cassie left the house, and now it was nearing evening, but he was too into it.

And then the climax happened. June had cancer. She was going to die, and that meant that Leo and June may never become canon and Leo's depression would worsen, because he would lose the love of his life who didn't even know he loved her, and that might cause him to kill himself, and, whilst not meaning to, Stampy began to cry uncontrollably, shaking. Crisps threatened to spill out of the bowl so he sat it down, curled up on the sofa and cried into his hoodie's sleeves.

He barely heard the door open and Cassie yell out that she had returned and that he, quote, better not have eaten the last of her prawn cocktail crisps or there would be would be trouble, unquote. She obviously heard his wails because she came in.

"Stampy? Is this about Dan?" She didn't mean Nine Tales' Dan.

"N-No..." He mumbled, shaky.

"What's wrong?"

"O-On N-Nine Tal-ales, Lucas f-found out on his bir-birthday that June has ca-cancer and she's gonna d-die and Ju-Juneo w-won't be-become canon and Leo w-will get even more d-depressed and might k-kill himself..." He stammered, tears gathering in his eyes. "And the feels!" He wailed, crying more.

Back when he was living with and dating Dan, whenever this happened, Dan would hold him and roll him up in a blanket, and the two would cuddle and watch cartoons - it was one of the reasons Stampy loved him. But this wasn't Dan, it was Cassie, and she was not as sympathetic as Dan.

"Get a hold of yourself, it's not real life, they're fictional, they're actors and it's just a stupid show." She muttered. This had happened yesterday, when, apparently, in season one, Rosie had to put her cat, Robyn, down due to old age, and Pamela, who was, according to Stampy, the bitch of the gang, had given her one of her own cat's kittens - Rosie had named him Sparrow.

Stampy had been bawling his eyes out, and she had found her lodger on the sofa, in his cat hoodie and comfy trousers, not wearing a T-shirt so the soft material of the hoodie blessed his skin, watching the TV, tears in his eyes as the stupid programme blared. "What the... Why are you crying, this show isn't sad?"  
Stampy had turned to her, and, when he heard those words, he became determined to prove her wrong.

"Cassie, you don't understand! June is such a cinnamon roll, how could Leo not fall in love with her?! And now she's gonna die and Leo already has depression! He's lost everything - his family in a car crash, his wife and kids when he divorced her, his old home, his dog, and now he's gonna lose her!"

"Look, I'm just gonna let you crrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry heyyyy, are those my crisps?"

Stampy just cried more; she shook her head at him and went to put her stuff in the hallway. "Well, how about you watch season one with me tonight, eh?! See who's crying then?!" Stampy screeched as she walked away, his determination to prove her wrong stronger than ever.

"Fine, whatever." Cassie rolled her eyes, hanging her bag and coat on the coat rack and slipping her shoes off. "Right, do you want Chinese food or pizza tonight?" She asked him as she came back in, slumping on the sofa.

Stampy went to reply with the obvious choice - who could say no to pizza?! - before remembering that Leo and June loved the same pizza. His eyes watered.

"Chinese food it is."

* * *

The night came. She was prepared, with her most comfortable pyjamas on, coffee and cookies ready, crisps in a bowl, DVD box on the table ready and several other snack items on the table. She also had a box of tissues at the ready beside the snacks - those were Stampy, because she, Cassie Rose, was not going to cry at such a stupid show.

Stampy came down finally - what he was doing up there she had no idea - in his cat onesie - it was kind of adorable. He fumbled around with the disc since the onesie had gloves that restricted finger movement so she took over, and they began to watch.

Rosie, she noted, looked a lot like her, but with brilliant cobalt blue eyes and not basil green, and her cat Robyn was a tabby, not a calico.  
She already hated Pamela, who was Dan's girlfriend (not a very nice one sometimes but she had her good side), because she was so cruel to the others sometimes, and her haughty behaviour made her want to smack the bitch around the face.

But, like Stampy'd said, June was an absolute cinnamon roll, short with short coffee brown hair and coffee brown eyes. She was so shy and well-meaning, and she was so kind, and Leo's crush on her was so obvious yet she didn't see. She barely suppressed the urge to yell, "June, how can you not see his love for you?!"  
Robyn was such a cute cat, though lazy as well - just like Winslow - and she found herself in awe and chuckling. The show was hilarious, with Leo, despite his depression, cracking jokes.

Juneo was adorable, and so was Danela - when Pam wasn't being rude - but Lucalli was her OTP - how could Lucas not be gay for Talli?! Talli was handsome with his smoky black hair, seaweed green eyes and pale skin, he was tall to contrast Lucas' short height and he was just as much of a cinnamon roll as June.

But when Talli got injured, meaning he'd never walk again, she very nearly cried. Stampy wasn't crying, because he didn't really like Talli because he had a criminal record (killed a guy when he was younger, served too few years for Stampy to think it was justice), but Cassie's eyes were watering and she had to grab a tissue and dab at her eyes.

She was unaware that Stampy was smirking.

The show continued on and when Robyn was put down... Both of them were crying their eyes out as the life left the cat's eyes and Rosie cried just as painfully as they did. Both of them grabbed tissues, their hands meeting as they did, but they were too busy sobbing to notice.

When Pamela gave Rosie Sparrow the next day, their tears were happy.

"I-I told you!" Stampy stammered between tears, shakily breathing.

"Yeah..." Cassie faintly chuckled. "Yeah you did..."

They took a moment to calm down, breathing slowly and deeply. Their eyes were red and stinging with the salty water.

"That... That exceeded my expectations..." Cassie mumbled, sniffing.

"Yeah... Wanna watch season two tomorrow?"

"Of course!"

* * *

 **A/N: Nine Tales is not a real show, just in case you thought it was.  
**

 **This was fun to write. Don't have much to say here, so I hope you have a good life or whatever.  
**

 **I have a Tumblr Cassie rp/ask blog, where-are-you-my-darling dot Tumblr dot com. Go check it out!  
**

 **I hope you enjoyed.  
**


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